Jessop, Spartans Down Wakefield 31-6
The Broad Run Spartans took care of business on Thursday night against Wakefield, winning 31-6...
Photo By: Barry De Nicola / Gameday
ARLINGTON, VA - With two minutes remaining and the Broad Run Spartans only leading the Wakefield Warriors by seven there was a sense of eagerness on the Broad Run sideline. A team that the Spartans defeated by more than 20 points last year was lingering around and it seemed as a rare upset might be in the wings.
But that's exactly when, what can only be called a lucky one and a half minutes occurred. Running back Breon Earl started the first domino and by the time wide receiver Adrian Flemming hauled in a last-second catch the end the first half the last block had fallen and Wakefield was all but knocked out. Broad Run had taken a 22-point first half lead on the way to a 31-6 victory on the opening night of the 2008 high school football season.
"This year we have to live with the fact that we are going to make some mistakes with a wide-open offense," head coach Michael Burnett said. "But we also have the ability to score quickly."
That quick scoring ability was well on display as the closing minute ticked off the first half. The only score came nearly 15 minutes earlier when quarterback Chris Jessop barreled into the end zone on a goal line quarterback sneak play. But with so much time between scores Broad Run grew anxious. That was until Earl took a direct snap and scored on a four-yard scamper.
Forty seconds later, as Wakefield attempted to punt the ball away defensive lineman Nick Galzerano tackled punter Rodrick Likonko into the endzone. Eight points in 40 seconds may have been enough, but with less than a second left on the clock Jessop found Flemming in the back of the endzone.
"That's Chris being Chris," Burnett said. "He does a real job of avoiding the rush and then throws it 50 yards on a line. That's just them making plays."
Jessop dodged two sack attempts in the backfield on found his 6-foot-4, favorite target, among a crowd of defenders.
The 22-point lead was all the Spartans would need but a 50-yard touchdown by running back T.J. Peeler added to the lead before a second safety put the game completely out of reach.
"Offensively, we were able to move the ball a lot and we were able to make some big plays but I didn't think we executed the way we are going to have to as we get throughout the year," Burnett said.
Even with the offense struggling at times Burnett was still content with his team's chances.
"The way our defense was playing I felt pretty confident," Burnett said. "We just have to get better at putting the ball in the end zone."
Broad Run will host Ballou High School next week and will hope to build of a successful start to the season as the team develops chemistry in a new offense.
"We need to get used to making big plays," Burnett said. "Last year we were used to grinding it out and getting a sustained drive and getting a score."
Scoring too fast is a good problem to have though.
